Having spent Sunday at Wimbledon's Centre Court it was back to more familar sporting surroundings this evening, Field Lane in Thorpe Willoughby, North Yorkshire, for the Prostar Cup (known as the Templenewsam Cup pre-sponsorship).

For a team in division two of the York League, Thorpe United's ground is a good one. The main pitch is railed off with dugouts facing each other on the halfway lane. Unfortunately for me tonight's game wasn't on the main pitch, but on a pitch marked on the outfield of the adjacent cricket ground, and closer to the clubhouse. By my rules that means I'll need to revisit before Thorpe United is properly "ticked", although I'll count each pitch as a separate ground.

Anyway, the main point of these trips to watch the football rather than fret about which pitch is used, and this game was a good one. The sides were evenly matched, and both goals were in the first half, Sherburn taking the lead.

Thorpe just shaded the second half, and twice hit the frame of the goal, but I thought Sherburn should have had a late penalty, the referee instead decided the foul was just outside the box.

Having been denied that penalty, shortly afterwards they had five of them, as the tie was decided by a shootout. Sherburn missed their first, but Thorpe soon missed as well, and when the home side's final kick was saved Sherburn were through.

Their reward for winning is a home tie in the ultimate local derby, as Sherburn White Rose B take on Sherburn White Rose A in next week's first round.

There's a pleasing (but admittedly sad) symmetry in completing a league at the same club as starting it. Back in 1993, on my first ever visit to the Republic of Ireland, I saw UCD at home to St James's Gate. The game was an awful goalless draw, and still ranks as one of the worst games I've ever seen.

A few years ago UCD moved from the basic Belfield Park to the rather better equipped UCD Bowl, some distance away but still within the confines of the huge UCD Belfield campus. In fact, so huge is it that having driven in and parked the car, it then took a 15 minute walk, aided by the directions of a couple of locals, before I could find the new venue.

There is a nearer car park, but I guess you have to be in the know to head to straight to that, and once on the campus there's very little in the way of signage to direct first time visitors to the home of what is, let's not forget, a top flight side.

Once I found the Bowl I was impressed. Most of the spectator facilities are on the nearside, with seats built into a steep grass bank, the centre section covered. There's open standing at both ends, while the opposite side is out of bounds, housing a TV gantry and the dugouts. The whole set up is very neat and tidy, and the club officials were all very friendly.

The ground was a step up in quality from my previous visit, and thankfully so was the game. In my experience League of Ireland football, particularly in the top division, is all too often dour and defensive, but this was a lively and entertaining game.

UCD are bottom of the league (thanks to Managhan United's withdrawal) but matched their title-chasing opponents. St Pats went ahead on the stroke of half time. They looked likely to hold on for a win, but, perhaps feeling the effects of a midweek Europa League game in the Balkans, allowed UCD to snatch an equaliser they probably deserved.

With competitive football very thin on the ground closer to home I elected for a weekend in Ireland, where, as well as the national League of Ireland, one or two regional leagues have also switched to a summer season.

This was only the second time I've seen Mayo League football, but it was a decent game and worth the early start, and the lengthy drive to the west coast from Dublin Airport.

Both sides play in the Premier A Division of the Mayo League, the second tier and below the Mayo Super League. The cup tie was evenly matched, but Clew Bay progressed thanks to their superior finishing. Their two goals, in the 33rd and 82nd minutes, were both well taken after defence-splitting passes left forwards with just the keeper to beat.

Clew Bay are based in Louisburgh, a small but attractive village not far from Westport. The pitch is in the grounds of the Sancta Maria College. It's enclosed by wooden "ranch-style" fencing with a pair of dugouts on the far side. The fence is set well back from the pitch, presumably to enclose the wider Gaelic games pitch which the venue doubles as, although the Gaelic goalposts, behind the "soccer" goals, looked as if they hadn't been used for a while.

Final match of my Shetland trip, and as expected an easy win for high flying
Whitedale against the league's bottom side. Whitedale were 2-0 ahead by half
time, and added the other three in the game's closing quarter.

That they
didn't score more was mostly down to Scalloway's goalkeeper, who had a good game
to keep the score down. At times Whitedale played some of the best football I've
seen while in Shetland.

Their ground, Strom Park, is also the best of
those I've seen while here. The pitch, alongside the
A971 road north of Lerwick in Whiteness, is railed down part of both touchlines.
The changing rooms and clubhouse are near the halfway line on the far side,
while on the road side a pair of dugouts flank a purpose-built covered standing
area. A car park is behind one goal, fields behind the other, and, predictably
for Shetland, nice views all around.

By my reckoning, I now only
need four venues that are regularly used for league games, and one of those, at
Cunningsburgh, is only used for Ness United's B and C sides. A couple of other
grounds may be used purely for Parish Cup football.

The standard of football has varied, but
been very acceptable. From what I've seen, Shetland football seems stronger than
that on Orkney, but perhaps not as good as in Lewis and Harris.

The Works League is a separate competition to Shetland's Premier and Reserve
Leagues, but in effect serves as the third, and lowest, tier. Only Ness United
run teams in all three leagues, with their 'C' side in the Works League.

On the evidence of this game, the gulf between the Works League and the
Premier League is a huge one. Wastside were the better team, but having
established a two goal lead, two great strikes out of keeping with the rest of
the match, they allowed their Whalsay-based opponents back into the match by
conceding a penalty. Wastside then had a penalty of their own, it was saved but
they held on to win.

While the standard wasn't good, the setting was.
Wastside, from mainland Shetland's west side, are the only Works League side to
have their own pitch, rather than using one which also stages Premier League
football. The narrow pitch is hemmed in between the school and leisure centre at
Aith. Grass banking gives a good view of the match, and when they football isn't
up to much you can enjoy the view.

Spurs dominated the game, but wasteful finishing meant they had to rely on a
late goal to avoid extra time against a disappointing Delting.

They went
ahead thanks a cool finish in the final minute of the first half. After the
break Spurs were even more on top, but their shooting was wayward. They paid the
penalty when Delting managed an unlikely equaliser. Then with extra time looming
Spurs deservedly found an 85th minute winner.

Venue was Gilbertson Park,
Shetland's main football ground but essentially a pitch in a public park.
Although officially a neutral venue for this tie, it's one of three Lerwick
grounds which stage league games for the island capital's three Premier League
sides, Spurs, Thistle and Celtic, as well as clubs in the Works League.

The large pitch was taped off down both touchlines. There's no cover for
spectators, but a raised grass bank, set back from the pitch, suggests there may
once have been a stand, or it may be a base if temporary stands are ever erected
for major events

The best game, the best ground, and even the best weather of my Shetland holiday
so far.

Thistle were very poor at the start, and it was no surprise when
Scalloway went ahead thanks to a 15th minute penalty. They should have scored
more though, as Thistle struggled to even get the ball into the Scalloway half.

Eventually the visitors got a foothold in the game, and they were level
thanks to a terrific long range strike into the top corner early in the second
half.

Thistle went ahead after about an hour, the home keeper making a
mess of dealing with a shot that was straight at him, but within a couple of
minutes a second penalty put Scalloway level again.

As the game became
stretched there were chances at both ends. Thistle took one and looked to have
won the game, but in the closing moments yet another penalty gave Scalloway the
chance to equalise, which they duly did.

Fraser Park is nice ground.
It's close to the centre of the village, and hemmed in by stone walls and
houses, some of which have vulnerable windows directly behind the goal. Grass
banking gives a good view of the action, the changing rooms are pitchside, and
there's a covered standing area towards one corner. There were even a couple of
Shetland ponies in small field behind the far goal.

Having been to Unst on Saturday I took the opportunity to tick off the UK's
second most northerly football club. Like Unst, Yell are a first team who play
in the islands' "reserve" league.

The standard wasn't too high, which
was hardly a surprise, but there was plenty of effort from both teams and they
produced an entertaining 90 minutes.

The only goal, after 15 minutes,
was an own goal as Delting defenders managed to squeeze a poorly struck corner
past their own keeper.

Yell play in the grounds of Mid Yell Junior High
School. It's just a pitch, but the setting is very scenic and there's spaces for
cars to park pitchside for spectators who'd rather sit in comfort than brave the
Shetland summer weather.

The 7pm kick off was 15 minutes later than
advertised on the league website, but given the ferry timings was a logical
start time. The scattered settlement of Mid Yell is about a 20 minutes drive
from the ferry port connecting Yell to Shetland's Mainland.

Catching the
evening's final scheduled ferry back, at 9.30 (later ferries can be pre booked),
was no problem. In fact, I think all the passengers were players and spectators.

About Me

When I’m not working, or doing other things, I’m a groundhopper. This blog will record every new ground I visit for football, with a brief match report, ground description and a few photos.
Any spelling mistakes or typos are likely to be the result of blogging after a glass or two of wine, and attendance figures are my headcounts or estimates (official figures used if available).